Ones to Watch at Pitchfork Paris 2018

Autumn in Paris; it’s not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think about festival-ing. Gone are the mud-smacked wellies and damp tents that come hand-in-hand with British festivals. Bye to pretending that we don’t care about the rain. Hello wine, cheese, and a comfortable bed at the end of the night. We’re of course referring to Pitchfork Paris, the European edition of the monumental Pitchfork Music Festival.

Being an indoor event, in the Grand Halle de la Villette in Paris’ 19th arrondissement, the line up isn’t quite as jam-packed as a large outdoor affair. Instead, it's a carefully crafted menu of complimenting flavours, sampling the best that indie has to offer. There’s not a hair out of place on this one. Here’s our ones to watch...

Blood Orange

It’s only a matter of time before Blood Orange will headline a festival. Blending electronic music with the emotional exploration of black and queer oppression through spoken-word, Blood Orange aka Dev Hynes is an artist of endless talent. He’s worked with the likes of Philip Glass, Solange and A$AP Rocky, producing, co-writing and collaborating. Is there anything he can’t do?

Dream Wife

Packing a ton of power and punk-pop angst into their music, this trio are sure to bring some guitar bangers to Paris. Think Big Moon and Sunflower Bean, but London-style with a hint of Brighton art school and you’d be nearly there. Their glossy output screams against female objectivity and autonomy with killer guitar riffs to boot.

Bon Iver

The beautifully folk goodness of Bon Iver will break your heart. The melancholy first seen in For Emma, Forever Ago has since diversified into more experimental soundscapes with collaborations with James Blake and Kanye West. But the echoic darkness still remains in their chilling vocals. Bon Iver is not one to miss.

Mac Demarco

A staple in a festival line-up, Mac Demarco is no first-timer. From his debut, Rock and Roll Night Club in 2012, Mac has toured non-stop, changing the face of indie rock as we know it. With smatterings of bubbly reverb and dreamy soundscapes, the Mac effect has fully taken its hold with many Mac-inspired bands floating around. See the original maverick here.

Snail Mail

Snail Mail’s debut, Lush, is all about teenage punk. Just finishing high school, Lindsey Jordan brings a fresh yet bittersweet output to the Pitchfork Park line-up. Her honest vocal is reminiscent of the roughness of Chastity Belt but with the slowness of Japanese Breakfast.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Still reeling from their album release earlier this year, Sex & Food cements Unknown Mortal Orchestra as one of the alternative greats. Jangly guitar riffs and Ruban Nielson’s falsetto vocal are just some of the textures you’ll find in what’s sure to be a dazzling show. Keep an ear out for “Hunnybee”, a gorgeously delicate track.

Daniel Avery

The final day of the festival is a late one; a night curated full of DJs and live sets until 6am. So DJ/producer, Daniel Avery, is bound to get the night started. Taking a break from his tour with unusual pairing, Nine Inch Nails, his set will no doubt be laced with techno beats and ambient touches from his very latest release, Song For Alpha.

With every act being unmissable, it’s lucky that none of the acts directly clash with each other being spread over two stages at opposite ends of the hall. I’ll be running ragged between the stages over three days but I’m sure the wine will get us through.